(NEW YORK) — Police are searching for a gunman after 10 people were shot in the New York City subway system during Tuesday morning rush hour, according to officials.
The incident, reported just before 8:30 a.m. local time, started on a Manhattan-bound N subway car as it approached the 36th Street subway station in Sunset Park in Brooklyn, officials said.
The suspect put on a gas mask and opened a canister. As the train filled with smoke, he opened fire, striking multiple people in the subway car and on the platform, New York City Police Commissioner Keechant Sewell said at a news conference.
Sixteen people were injured overall, including five in critical but stable condition, officials said.
A man who works in a bodega outside the subway told ABC New York station WABC about 10 to 15 people ran to his store for safety.
“I didn’t know what happened until they said there was a guy shooting,” he said. “It was horrifying, people were just terrified.”
“I saw three or four people with gunshot wounds to their legs. They just fell to floor before the cops came. … They just stayed here for a couple of minutes before the coast was clear,” he said. “Everyone was terrified, I was terrified.”
Sewell described the suspect as a Black man wearing a green construction-type vest and a gray-hooded sweatshirt.
Sewell said there are no known explosives on subways and that this isn’t being investigated as an act of terrorism.
A motive isn’t known, Sewell said.
Schools in the area are on “shelter in place” protocols, officials said. Students are being kept inside but the school day is going on as normal.
Konrad Aderer told ABC News Live he was heading toward the subway station at about 8:30 a.m. when he saw a man bleeding from his legs.
“It was kind of shocking, of course. I wanted to know more,” he said, adding, “I just figured I can’t do much good here and I’ll just be in the way … the best thing for me to do is to leave immediately.”
At that point, he said, “I saw police and emergency vehicles already flooding in.”
President Joe Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas have been briefed on the situation.
The FBI is assisting the NYPD and officials from the ATF are at the scene.
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul also tweeted that she’s been briefed on the incident.
“First responders are on the scene and we will work with @MTA & @NYPDnews to provide updates as the investigation continues,” the governor said.
Both the Massachusetts State Police and the Washington, D.C., Transit Police said they’re monitoring the situation although there are no known threats.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
ABC News’ Ivan Pereira and Luke Barr contributed to this report.
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